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CHRISTIAN AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. VOL. 47-NO. 20. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER, PUBLISHED WEEKLY IE ATLANTA, G A.. J, J*. TOON, Proprietor. FOR TRKM3 BRR FOURTH PAGE God’s Laws, Not Non-Essentials. “I have written unto him the great things of my law.” —Hosea viii. : 12. God’s laws are either moral or positive. Moral law partakes of the moral nature and character of God himself, and is commanded because it is right. Positive laws emanate from the wiU of , God, and are right, because they are commanded. He luis embodied in one volume, all the statutes, both moral *qd positive, that He wills man to observe; and while positive laws are not of themselves of a moral nature, to wilfully disregard them involves the offender in moral guilt, because it is treating God’s will with contempt —all disobedience is immoral. The justice of God requires a Btrict enforcement of all the pen alties which He has affixed for the violation of His laws. He is of “ purer eyes than to look upon sin with the least degree of allow ance.” The punishment of sin does not arise from the will of God, abstractly considered, but from the purity and rectitude of His na ture —from His immutable justice. He could not, from the nature of His character, consis tently pardon sin without an atonement; hence those who cannot present Christ as a substitute who has suffered the penalties of the violated law, must realize the consequen ces of their sins io the future world. But God has provided every necessary facility for man’s salvation. He has provided a Sacri fice and fixed the terms of reconciliation up on principles that are strictly in harmony with truth and justice. He has written the “great things of His law.” He has present ed the world with the Gospel, which offers salvation through Christ, the only name given whereby we may be saved. Christ has be come the author of eternal salvation to all that obey Him, and the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. The Gospel plan of salvation is strictly in harmony with moral law. Not one moral precept of the Old Dispensation is repealed under the New. Christ has not abrogated a single principle of the moral law, but rather He reestablished it. fie re-published, not in. form, but in substance. He dropped the na tional guise of the law as it related to the Jewish nation, because His kingdom has noth ing to do with national law or courts of civil authority. His published penalties relate to His own kingdom, or to a future state of ex istenoe. Christ summed up the whole of the moral law into two great commandments: Love to God and love to man. Upon these two, said He, “ hang all the law and the prophets.” But again, He has especially for bidden all those things forbidden by the law as given to Moses on tables of*stone. law of sacrifices, etc., were peculiar to that dispensation. They all answered the purpose for which they were appointed, and expired by limitation when the Gospel Kingdom was set up. No positive laws contained in the Mosaic ritual are binding on us under the gospel, because in such things Christ is our only Lawgiver. We are bound to observe no positive laws but those appointed by Christ. The whole of the moral law is continued, for it could not be otherwise, founded as it is, in the eternal and immutable principle of truth, while positive laws could not continue in force longer than served the purpose for which they were instituted. Instead of the long and complicated cere monial law, given to the Jews, Christ has given to His kingdom but a few plain and simple laws; laws that the most illiterate can understand, and if disposed, can obey. For instance, the laws governing baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are positive laws; the rea sons for them do not appear in themselves, nor from any existing necessity; therefore the reason is the will of Christ, and He hav ing the powqr to command, it becomes the duty of His subjects to obey. It should be remembered that the violation of a positive law is as offensive to God, as is the violation of a moral law. In truth, the severest judgment ever inflicted upon man kind has been for the violation of positive laws. It was the violation of a positive and special law by our first parents, that brought death and ruin upon our race—that drove man out of Eden and blighted with the mil dew of sin the whole human race. The great criminality of Adam’s offence was not in the fruit, or the act of eating simply, but in Dis obedience —in treating God’s authority with contempt, pandering to a selfish appetite, and obeying the suggestions of Satan, rather than obey God, who had the right to command him. However small may appear a matter in volved in a command of God, let us reflect that He has a valid reason for requiring it. Every law that He has given to man, is a great law. It is a law worthy of His great wisdom and authority.' And furthermore, great results hang upon man’s obedience or disobedience. The reason may be incompre hensible to us, yet it is euough for us to know that God has commanded it. When God speaks, let the' earth be silent. What God commands, let man obey. Let man not arro gate to himself the prerogative of saying what may , and what may not, be observed. Let him not classify the laws of the Creator into essentials and non-essentials. Let it never more be said that the Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, has given to His creatures any law that they may treat as a non-essential. But some are ready to conclude that there may be some things of so little importance that they may be neglected without endan gering their prospect of heaven, consequently they will neglect them with a self-constituted impunity. But to observe the smallest re quirement, is essential to true obedience, and obedience is an essential of a pure and enno bling principle of religion. It has often been FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MAY 14. 1808. urged, even by those who assumed to be em bassadors of Christ, that “ baptism is not essential to salvation,” therefore of little mo ment how it is performed, or whether per formed at all or not. But when did God authorize man to take such liberty in teach ing His law ? The Bible declares salvation to be of the Lord—that there is no name gi\en but Christ whereby men may be saved, and that Christ has become the author of salvation to all that obey Him; and who shall dare say more? I would be understood, that all commands are essential to their legitimate purpose.M All are not essential to the same purpose, but all are essential tp obedience. Repentance and Faith are essential to regeneration—to the reception of the earnest of the Spirit, by which we are made heirs of God, and joint heirs of Christ. Baptism is essential to a public declaration of this faGt, and a pre requisite to membership in the visible church. Repentance and faith precede spiritual birth —this is an essential qualification for baptism. Baptism is essential and pre-requisite to church membership. Church membership is an essential qualification for the Lord’s Sup per, and this is essential to show forth the Lord’s death till He come. Thus every com mand and institution has its peculiar purpose to serve; each is essential to its own purpose, and all are essential to a full obedience. “If ye love me,” says Christ, “ keep my commandments.” Obedience is an essential proof of love to Christ, and love to Christ is essential to Christianity. Christianity is es sential to secure a passport to the “ land of promise;” so there are no non-essentials in the case, and those who think so, like Ephraim of old, are “ counting ” God’s law “ a strange tiling.” J. M. Martin. Riemi, Miss., March, 1668. Duties of Parents to Their Children. In my last communication I tried to show how parents could bring up their children in the “ nurture and admonition of the Lord.’ A few more thoughts upon that subject may be useful to some one. To make the precepts of parents impres sive, they should practice what they endeavor to teach. Example goes as far—perhaps far ther—in influencing to good or evil, than pre cept. Hence, parents should be very careful in all they say or do in the presence of their children. The tendency of every word or act shonld be well considered before being uttered or performed. The force of this re mark can be seen, if we remember that in all we say or do, we are influencing immortal beings to pursue the road to happiness or eternal misery! Let me next assign some reasons why parents should labor to bring up their chil dren for the Lord. Human affection is a strortg reason. P»r•o*«-«lcwrTj r love their off spring. This leve is^, manifested in their un tiring efforts to provide for the comfort and happiness of their children. In adversity, as well as prosperity, we see parents toiling for the temporal good of their children. This is a duty every parent owes to his offspring. He who fails to do so is unworthy the name of a parent. If natural affection prompts the parent to such energy in providing for the temporal good of his children, should not the same love prompt to greater exertions in la boring for the salvation of the soul? The immortal soul!—how shall its value be esti mated ? The wealth of the Pyranees, the gold of Ophir, the pearls and diamonds of this earth, are less than the dust of the balance when compared to the soul. Do we love our children? Surely, then, we will labor for their salvation. If we fail to do this, we do not love them as we should. Can we truly love our children, when we see them hasten ing down the road to eternal ruin, yet make no effort to bring them back to God ? Surely not. From the encouragement parents have, they should be stimulated to the discharge ot this duty: “ For I know Abraham, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” “ Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” “ Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shall find it after many days.” “ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Observation and experience teaches us that God has ever owned and blessed the efforts of His people in the discharge of their religious duties. Such as honor Him, He also honors; whilst such as despise Him have been lightly esteemed by Him. lam apprized of the fact that many difficulties lie in the way of Christian duty. Are we to shrink back in consequence of such ? Nay, rather let us double our exertions in order that they may be overcome. Even when the good seed have to be sown in tears, let us not despond, but rather rejoice. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubt less return again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with mm.” What more could we more could we desire? Labor thus spent in the service of God will never have an end. “ And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, blessed are dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.'" The good example set by the parent is fast ened upon the mind of the child, who in the course of time teaches his posterity the same good lessons. Thus it is that the work of the Lord is carried on, and God alone sees the end of such labors. The threatenings of Jehovah against Ungodly parents should arouse the sleepy energies of His people. “ Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon thy name.” “If ye will not hear, if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and 1 will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do sot lay it to heart.” Let us remember, that it is a fear ful thing to “ fall into the hands of the living God.” Then, let us not forsake his lav; yea, let us have it hid in#»Ur hearts, that we may not sin against IJim. E. W. Henderson. Sardis, Miss. Miracles. WHAT DO THE MIRACLES OF JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES PROVE? A miracle is an attestation from God of the truth of that which it is wrought to prove. Take, for illustration, the ease of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. They submitted the decision of the question, whether Jehovah or Baal was God, to the arbitrament of a mira cle, and when, (after the prophets of Baal had in vain called upon him,) fire came down from heaven and consumed the offering of Elijah, two truths were established—that Je hovah was God—that Baal was not God. In replying to the question, therefore, we are to ascertain what these miracles were wrought to prove. Ist. They were intended to prove that Je sus was the Messiah, the anointed of the Lord, sent for the redemption of His people. -Jesus always claimed to be the Messiah; and when John the Baptist sent to Him inquiring “Art thou he that should come? or do we look for another?” He referred to His mira cles in proof His Messiahship. The disci ples of Jesus proclaimed Him as the Messiah, and they wrought miracles in proof of this proclamation. 2d. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, and as such, to possess and exercise divine powers and prerogatives. That He uses the appellation, Son of God, as expressing His divine nature, is evident, because, when the people thus construed His language, and on that account accused Him of blasphemy, He did not tell them that they had misunderstood Him, but reaffirmed the truth. A most re markable instance of His claiming a divine nature, is in the memorable prayer recorded John xvii.: “Father, the hour is oome, . . . and now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which 1 had with thee before the world was.” The hour is come— the hour of agony and shame and crucifixion. In this hour, as the Son of God he prays to be restored to which He had with the Father before t&fe world was. This as suredly could not relate to of Mary. And for the former possessio Jf this glory, as well as its restoration, HjF»ppeal is directly to His Father. j* Some of the miracles of Jesus were wrought expressly to establish this claim. The people laid before Him a palsied man. He compassionately said to him : “Thy sins are forgiven thee.” He was accused of bias phemy upon the ground that He assumed the divine prerogative. “ Who,” say his accusers* “ can forgive sins but God only ? ” He does hot dispute their reasoning, but replies: ye may/know that the Son of Man' hath power on earth to forgive sins,” address- ing the sick man, “Arise, take up thy bed and walk.” Two points are noticeable in the narrative. Ist. That the miracle is wrought expressly to show that He possessed the di vine prerogative of forgiving sins. 2d. That to work miracles os He did, required the same divine nature as to forgive Sins. “ Whether is it easier to say, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, take up thy bed and walk?” But, not to go too much into detail, men tion will be made of only one miracle—His own resurrection—as having this special de sign. He says: “As the Father hath life in himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in himselfand referring to His cruci fixion, He declares that no man takes His life from him. He lays it down of himself that He may take it again. “ I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” And the proof of ail this is to be His resurrection from the dead. Hence the Apostle tells us, “ He was declared to be the Son of God, with power, by the resurrection from the dead.” The apostles affirmed the divine nature of Jesus, and wrought miracles in His name as a divine person. Peter, to instance only one case, said to the lame man at the gate of the temple, “In the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk.” The miracles of Jesus and His disciples prove, then, The Divine Nature, and the Divine Mission of Jesus. 3d. They, by consequence, prove that the Gospels are a divine revelation from God. Jesus, as a messenger from God, came to re veal His truth to men. The communications made by Him, as recorded by the sacred his torians, constitute, in part, this revelation. The miracles which prove His divine charac ter and mission, confirm the truth of* His teaching, or else we have these monstrous suppositions: First, That the Son of God was a deceiver; and, second, that God, the Father, aided the deception. 4th. The miracles of the apostles have a still further significancy.- They were wrought to prove, not only the divine character and mission of Jesus, but also that they were commissioned and inspired to complete the Christian revelation, and to establish the Gos pel among the nations. Paul appealed to his miracles as evidence of his apostleship. Hence these miracles are not only concurrent proofs W the claims of Jesus, but they estab lish the authority, as inspired teachers, of the apostles.* vL sth. Consequently, these miracles prove the divine authority of the Apostolic Epistles, and the apocalypse. In these we have the instructions of men proving themselves to be inspired teachers, and they are; therefore, a part of thf Gospel Revelation. Infidels have asserted that Christians reason in a circle regarding miracles. That they ap peal tc the doctrine of Scripture in proof of the miracles, and then to the miracles in proof Os the doctrine. It may be that suoh fallacies have been perpetrated. But those who have attended to the arguments of this series of articles, will know that they are not liable to this charge. 'The argument for the miracles of Christ, makes no reference to his doctrine, only as it may constitute a part of the evi dence of character. It takes the character of Jesus as a historical person, and shows that neither corruption uor weakness can be im puted to Him ; and upon this bases an argu ment for His miraculous power, because He claimed to possess such power. So, also, re garding the testimony of His disciples. Their character as witnesses, is established independent of any miracles wrought by them. In like manner, the inference of the inspira tion of the New Testament, from the mira cles, is entirely independent of any consider ation of its teachings. It is founded solely upon what the miracles prove regarding Jesus and His apostles. The doctrines of the Sa cred Volume furnish another, and an impor portant line of proof. Xnd the argument from this source, and that from miracles, confirm each other. But they are distinct and separate. In these papers, the argument from miracles only has been adduced. A. M. Poindexter. Exegesis. Now, then, it ia no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.— Rom. vii.: 17. The apostle in the context sets forth the warfare between the flesh and the Spirit, be tween the law and hik mind, and that which was in his members.- But we must not con clude that he is excusing and removing alb blame from the believer who does $f.QPg, when he says “ it is no more I that do’lt* but sin that dwelleth in me;” for he show's that he does not approve of wrong in .hirripelf, or in any other. He would not excuse or allow sin of omission or commission. Had he in an hour of darkness and temptatiegr commit ted sin against God and the laws of the land, and had been arraigned before the bar of jus tice on trial, he would not have pleaded that he ought to be released—acquitted on the ground that it was not himself who had com mitted the crime, but merely sin dwell eth in him, on the ogc hand. Nor, on the other hand, had he done a righteous act for which he was about |l|be rewarded, would he have refused the reward on the ground that he had not performed the good deed, but grace or Christ dv'elleth in him had ac complished the xx.: 2. No, he, under such cjf€Bsfe&HGes, would frankly admit, if justly«sharg<xl with sin, that he hir.% self had, with tShe flesh, served the law of sin, or if he had *i*4itairi ed righteousness before God, that wis& -he mind he himself had served the lftyjfajpd-* Let it, then, be understood that a beki&fer had need to watch and pray lest be enter into temptation, (and especially so in these times which try men’s souls,) and sin without ’having any excuse or plea that will screen, him from the rod ot correction. God jj?*’,?aid that if His people forsake His law—ae'will visit their trans gressions with this rod. Yet some have been almost ready toi conclude that a Christian cannot sin, b**u|e of sh a has said above, apd jsaid in his first 2nd ninth verse: “ Who soever is born of God doth hot commit sin : for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin because he is born of God.” But John here may be considered as teaching that a Christian will never commit the sin of final apostacy, as did the devil from the beginning, or else that the believer will not habitually sin, because of the opposing seed of grace which remains in him in the form of a spirit which opposes such a course of sin and leads to self-denial and cross-bearing for Jesus. The Christian knows from his own experience, not only that he can be guilty of the sins of omission and of commission, but that this has been too often the case with him, causing him to have need to penitently and with shamefacedness, to approach God at the mer cy seat, and there humbly plead for Tenewed applications of the virtue of that blood which alone cleanseth from all sin, and whose virtue was realized and appreciated in his first suc cessful approach by faith to this mercy seat. Why should any one, then, ever take the ground that when believers are asked in the day of judgment as to their guilt, they will say we are not guilty, and never were? Why not rather conclude the answer would be: We were guilty before conversion, and too often so after conversion; but we have come through great tribulation and washed our robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, but for the shedding of which there had been no remission and no hope for us. Again, the believer knows from his own experience, that, when by grace he has walked in the ordinances and commandments of Je sus, he has been blessed with the smiles of His Heavenly Father, and the answer of a good conscience. So that he has learned what Jesus meant when He said : “ He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, loves me, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Still further, we may consider that if the full, unbroken strength of sin in the unbeliever cannot give excuse before God, to him for having sinned daily, how much less can the broken, crucified strength or body of indwelling sin give a good ground of excuse to the belierer? And again, if perfectly up right, Adam and holy angels, and perfectly sanctified, holy saints in heaven, can be brought to view, as acting personally and in dividually in obeying God, why should we conclude that Christians here, who are only partially upright, holy, have no personality in the matter of serving God on the one hand, or of sinning on the other—that all their obe dience is not theirs, but Christ’s, as dwelling in them, and that all their sin is attributable not to them ? We have only to look to the final, judgment in order to see that every man, saint or sinner, will be judged according to the deeds done in the body, whether good or bad. Let no man, therefore, be deceived, for God cannot be deceived, since every man be fore Him will reap according to what ha has sown. They who have sown to the flesh, shall of the flash reap corruption; and they who have sown to the good Spirit, shall reap life everlasting. In other words, they who live and die in their sins, shall perish, while those who repent, believe the gospel and serve God, shall live forever in the world of unsul lied glory. Whatever, therefore, the apostle may mean by his words at the bead of these lines, we can see that, according to the gene ral tenor of his and other writings, he was still himself, as either led forward in the service of God by the spirit of God, or else enticed and drawn into sin by his own lusts or the law in his members, and would be judged accordingly in the day when Christ shall judge the quick and the dead. Blessed is he who?p. own experience of divine things, next to his Bible, greatly assists him in coming to con clusions. May God give us all much more of His rich grace, that, as His people, we may see eye to eye, and all speak the same things. I. H. Goss. Lumpkin, Georgia. How It was Done. In one of our New England villages, not many years since, the Baptist church extended a unanimous call to a certain minister. The call was accepted. There wan nothing unu sual in this; many other churches have given unanimous invitations which have been ac cepted. One year passed, and the people were as well united in their pastor as ever. Still another year they labored together in mutual* confidence and prospered. That this was nothing unusual I will not say, for the fre quent changes in the pastoral relation suggest a doubt of this. Toward the close of the second year a prom inent member, of the church became disaf fected with his pastor, for some reason, for it is not to be presumed that such men act with out reason ! But those most deeply inter ested were not able to discover what his reason was, 2nd probably they will never know until that day when “Forth shall a written book be brought, Wherein each deed, and word, and thought, l| 4 writ.” WhatTdid this-brother do? Did he go to his minister in a Christian spirit, and seek to have bis difficulty removed? Did he ask counsel of the Divine Teacher in respect to the matter? . Had he sought light from on high, he would have learned that God makes use of earthen vessels to convey the greatest of blessings to the human family; and that those -to whom he has intrusted his great commission need the counsel and cooperation of all Christians! But alas! this brother yielded to another influence, and injured, in stead of aiding his pastor! The minister had an enemy; all true min isters have one, who goes about like a roaring lion, seeking to destroy happiness and pre vent the accomplishment of good. He some times transforms himself into “ an angel of light," and, when working in this guise, he finds a church member a grand fulcrum over which to pry in his efforts to displace the liv ing stones of God’s temple ! The suggestions of this enemy so accorded with the brother’s inclinations, that it was no cross to follow them. What was to be done 1 ? The object was to remove the incumbent. But there was the minister, strong in the affections of the people, and fortified with a band of faithful friends. Who touches him touches them. It will never do to light the fires of persecution. That is a practice of barbarism. Men have become more liberal toward those who do not agree with them. Open persecution is unpopular, and is liable to defeat its end by making sym pathy for the persecuted. But the work must be done. The brother wanted a man to go in and out before the people according to his own idea of right. And, judging from the course he pursued, he concluded not to make it too hot for the minister, but too cold. It matters not to Satan whether the works of God are marred by heat or cold, if they are only marred. He would as soon have the Christian destroyed by slow freezing as by slow fires. The chilling influences accomplished the work for which they were designed. It re quired three years; but then the work was completed—the minister resigned. Soon he removed far from the place and the people that were so dear to him. This was a tri umph hour for Satan and for the brother who had cooperated with him. Do men and women who labor to unsettle pastors imagine that the Lord stands ready to receive the minister, and his wife and chil dren, right up to “ mansions in the skies,” as soon as their object is accomplished ? Do they ever think of the painful suspense—the weary journey—the home among strangers — the heart-longings for the “ loved and loviDg” which is the lot of the minister and his family? Do they consider that many of the desolate placSes in Zion were rendered so by this very •process of breaking up the pastoral relation to satisfy the caprice of a few ? “O, that they were wise, that they understood this J”—■ Christian Era. An Active Chnrch. It is only by disinterested labors for the good of others—those who especially need disinterested labors—that we grow into the spirit of Him who gave His life for those who could give nothing in return. In water ing others, we are ourselves watered; in scat tering abroad, we gather in; in .being ready to give everything and lose everything for others, we find prosperity and abundance for ourselves. In building up & parish, or build ing up a denomination, the main thing to be thought of is not eloquent preachers, nor splendid choirs, nor magnificent churches, (things by no means to be undervalued, of' which we wish the land were full,) but much more than all these, a Bpirit of self-denying zeal* a readiness to spend and be spent for the good of others—for the benefit of the poor and the ignorant. A church that knows how to work for others carries the pledge of its success on its front; a denomination that looks out for the needy and the scattered within its borders will be a power—its labors react for its own health and vigor, and the currents of life flow more freshly in its own veins, because of its toils in the open air of everyrday life. Besides, it presents attrac tions to strong and earnest natures. Men had rather join themselves to a live body than a dead one, even though the dead one be laid out in ever so stately a style; some denominations, some churches, with every external disadvantage, and seeming almost too feeble to live, keep themselves alivg* by their very activity—-like some slender people who carry disease in their constitution, and seem ready to die every day, and who would do so if they should only give up, yet who drive about their business, and accomplish more and live longer than many a stout and ple thoric soul, with too much blood for bis good, and who has nothing to do but feed and fat ten at hi# leisure. There is something to fear 4n the sight of a society so easy, so prosper ous, so well furnished- with goods that it rests contented with itself, and is well pleased to go up to the sanctuary on the Sabbath days, and enjoy alt the elegancies and luxuries of religion, and rejoices to see its children gath ered into the fold and made inheritors of the hopes, but at the same time grows unsympa thizing, self-regarding, delicate and unhum bled, and forgets the multitudes of ignorant, and scattered, and suffering ones. There is reason to fear that it will one day hear from that mouth, out of which goeth the sharp two-edged sword, the words—“ Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; I counsel tbee, therefore, be zealous and repent.” This was the Divine counsel, to counteract the effect of prosperity. “ Be zealous,” go forth and work for the good of others; as thou dost not have to labor and struggle for thyself, put thyself into sympa thy with those who do struggle, and in some sense, like the great Master, bear their bur dens, share their sacrifices, and carry their griefs; and thus learn the lessons of adver sity at seconj hand, 80 that thou mayest not have to learn them at first-hand.— O. W. Field. Talmudic Proverbs. Prayer is Israel’s only .weapon, a weapon inherited from their fathers, a weapon tried in a thousand battles. The dying benediction of a sage to his dis ciples was: I pray for you that the fear of heaven may be as strong upon you as the fear of man. You avoid sin before the face of the latter; avoid it before the face of the Almighty. Whoever lives unmarried, lives without joy, without comfort, without blessing. He who marries for money, his childrSh shall be a curse to him. Honor the sons of the poor: it is they who bring science into splendor. There are three crowns; of the law, the priesthood, the kingship; but the crown of a good name is greater than them all. Think of three things: whence thou com est, whither thou goest, and to whom thou wilt have to account for all thy deeds, even to the King of kings, the All-holy, praised be he. Four shall not enter Paradise: the scoffer, the liar, the hypocrite, and the slanderer. To slander is to murder. Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend’s friend has a friend; be discreet. The soldiers fight, and the kings are the heroes. While thy foot is shod smash the thorn. When the ox is down, many are the butch ers. Descend a step in choosing a wife; mount a step in choosing a friend. The sun will go down all by himself, with out your assistance. Fools are no proof. No man is to be made responsible for words which he utters in his grief. There is a great difference between him who is ashamed before his own self and him who is only ashamed before others. It is a good sign in man to be capable of being ashamed. He who is ashamed will not easily commit sin. One contrition in man’s heart is better than many flagellations. Teach thy tongue to say, I do not know. Drink not, and you will not sin. Not what you say about yourself, but what others say. Not the place honors the man, but the man the place. Let the honor of thy neighbor be to thee like thine own. The lost jewel will always be a jewel, but the possessor who has lost it: well may he weep. SJ"'.:r •• • The Friend of the Bridegroom. While reading a book on the Holy Land, by Hepworth Dixon, I read of an Eastern custom, which brought so clearly before my mind the work of the Holy Spirit under the type of the friend of the Bridegroom, that I cannot refrain from telling it to you, although very likely you have thought of it before. ** It appears that, in most cases of marriage in Syria, after the act of ‘betrothal,’ the bride and bridegroom are not allowed to meet for a year, but during that time the friend of the bridegroom is sent by him, with constant messages to the bride, his work being, not to speak of himself, but to proclaim the love and constancy of the absent bridegroom, and so sound his praises, that the love of the bride towards him will be kept warm; and until the day when she is taken home to dwell with her husband, and see him face to face, the function of the bridegroom’s friend knows no pause. ‘ Then the bridegroom’s heart is glad, and the friend rejoices when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.’” The author, in relating the custom, gives it as an illustration of that text in John iii.: 20. But it -speaks to me, and 1 am sure will to you also,-of something far higher. All that he tells of the work of the friend of the bridegroom is so exactly illustrative of the Spirit’s work —sent by the Great Bridegroom to comfort the bride whilst He and she are parted the one from the other: “I will not leave you comfortless.” Then it was not of himself the friend was to speak, but of the bridegroom. “He shall testify of me;” “ He shall show you of mine;” “He shall not 3peak of himself;” “He shall glorify me;” “He shall receive of mine and show it unto you —just what the bridegroom did— told his friend the things he wished him to tell his bride. Perhapß the Syrian bride would never have had her . heart so full of love to the bride groom, (of whom, according to the custom of the country, she had seen little,) had it not been for the constant commendations of him given by his friend. And has not our Bride groom said: “It is expedient for you that I go away; for if Igo not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.” Then comes the great meeting, the long time of separation past, the seeing face to face, the work of the Spirit over.— British Herald. Pastoral Work. ' Should it ever come to be true that the pas tors of our churches Are, so comparison with those of, other denominations, less attentive to the families of their charge, less sympa thizing with the young, less careful to visit the sick and the stranger, less systematic and faithful in their knowledge of and care for individual souls, it will certainly follow that the denomination will gradually lose its hold upon the attachment of the people of our State, and the sanctuaries in which the fathers worshipped in such numbers, will be deserted by their children. No ministerial energy will compensate for this prime defect; no power in the pulpit, no reputation among the churches, no pyrotechnics of oratory, no strained intellectual gymnastics can be sub stituted for the contact of the living person with individual souls, in familiar, friendly, sympathizing, and spiritual intercourse. In these days of books and newspapers, of lec tures and discussions, the people of our churches will not, on the one hand, forgive S rude and hasty sermon, but on the other, they will not require the highest intellectual excite ment conceivable from every SaSbath dis course, provided it contains direct, pointed, weighty truth; especially if that truth is uttered from lips that in the week time are often opened for friendly and earnest words, and from a heart that is known to beat warmly for the welfare of their children, their families, and the community.— Prof. Noah Porter. WHOLE NO. 2390. Have Faith, and Struggle On. A swallow in the spring Came to our granary, and ’neath the eaves Essayed to make a nest, and there did bring Wet earth, and straw, and leaves. Day after day she toiled With patient art, but ere her work was orowned, Some sad mishap the tiny fabric spoiled. And dashed it to the ground. She found the ruin wrought; But, not cast down, forth from the plaoe she flew, And with her mate fresh earth aud grosses brought. And built her nest anew. But scarcely had she placed The last soft feather on its ample floor, When wicked hand or chance again laid waste, And wrought the ruin o’er. But still her heart she kept, And toiled again; and last night, bearing calls, I looked, and 10l three little swallows slept Within the earth-made walls. What truth is here, 0 man I Hath hope been smitten ip Its early dawn? Hath cloud o’ercast thy purpose, trust, or plan? Have faith, and struggle on. The Fullness in Christ. How difficult it would be to name a noble figure, & sweet smile, a teuder or attractive relationship in which Jesus is not set forth to woo a reluctant sinner and cheer a despond ing saint. Am I wounded 1 He is balm. Am I sick?. He is medicine. Am I naked? He is clothing. Am I poor ? .He is wealth. Am I hungry ? He is bread. Am I thirsty ? He is water. Am 1 in debt ? He is a surety. Am lin darkness ? He is a sun. Have 1 a house to build ? He is a rock. Must I face that black and gathering storm ? He is an anchor sure and steadfast. Am Ito be tried ? He is an advocate. Is sentence passed, and am Ito be condemned ? He is pardon. To deck Him out and set Him forth, nature culls her finest flowers, brings her choicest ornaments, and lays these treasures at His feet. The skies contribute their stars. The sea gives up its pearls. From fields, and rivers, and mountains earth brings the tribute of her gold, and geins, aud myrrh, and frank incense; the lily of the valley, the clustered vine and the fragrant rose of Sharon. He is “ the chiefest among ten thousand, and alto gether lovely.” “In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” I offer Him to you—make a free offer of Him, and doing so will challenge you to name a want for which I shall not find a full supply in Christ, something that fits your wants as ac curately as the works of a key the wards of its lock. M A Way Be wto tost ones that have strayed; A robe He is to such as naked be; Is any hungry, to all such He’s bread; Is any weak, in Him how strong is he! To him that’s dead, He’s Life; to sick men, Health; Eyes to the blind, and to the poor man, Wealth.” One Who Thought He Never Prayed. The Rev. Mr. Kilpin passed a very profane man, and, having omitted to rebuke him, he awaited him in the morning at the same place. When he approached Mr. Kilpin said: “ Good morning, my friend; you are the per son I have been waiting for.” “Oh, sir,” 6aid the man, “you are mista ken, I think.” “ I do not know you, but I saw you last night when you were going home from work, and I have been waiting some time to see you.” “Sir, you are mistaken; it could not have been me. I never saw you in my life before, that I know of.” “Well, my friend,” said Mr. Kilpin, "I heard you pray last night.” “ Now I assure ybu that you are mistaken; l never prayed in my life.” “ Oh, said Mr. Kilpin, “if God had an swered your prayer last night; you had not been here this morning. I heard you pray that God would destroy your eyes, and ruin your soul.” The man turned pale, and trembling, said, “Do you call that prayer? I did, I did.” “Well, then, my errand this morning is to request you from this day to pray as fervent ly for your salvation as you have done for damnation; and may God in mercy hear your prayer.” The man from that time became an attend ant on Mr. Kilpin’s ministry, and it ended in his conversion to God. —The Christian. Sunday Rest a Necessity. “Although the night equalizes the circula tion well, yet it does not sufficiently restore its balance for the attainment of a long life. Hence one day in seven, by the bounty of Providence, is thrown in as a day of com pensation, to perfect by its repose the animal system. You may easily determine this question by trying it on beasts of burden. Take that fine animal, the horse, and work him to the full extent of his powers every day of the week; or give him rest one day in seven, and you will soon perceive, by the superior vigor with which he performs his functions on the other six days, that this rest is necessary to his well-being. Man, possess ing a superior nature, is borne along by the very vigor of his mind, so that the injury of continued diurnal exertion and excitement in his system is not so immediately apparent.as it is in the brute; but in the long run it breaks down more suddenly; it abridges the length ofliis life and that vigor of nis old age which (as to mere animal power) ought to be the object of his preservation This is said simply as a physician, and with out reference at all to the theological ques tion.”—Dr. Farre. This Six Stefs.—There are six ascents to heaven, as there were to Solomon’s throne. 1. The lowest is vocation: “No man can oome to me, except the Father draw him.” 2. Repentance. When God hath called the heart from sin, it melts into tears, and is smitten with a holy remorse. 3. Faith —which believes the pardon of re pented sins, and the adoption through Christ to peace. 4. The testimony of the Holy Ghost . “The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” 5. Peace of conscience. All the clamors of sin anil terrors of the law Are quieted. “Be ing justified by faith, we have peace with God.” 6. Good works —the fruits of a sanctified obedience, and effects of former graoes, which concur to the makihg up this assuranoe. Prevailing Praters. —A Christian mother, who had a son that had gone off in a vi cious oourse, and deserted, and otherwise cruelly treated her, was lying upon her death bed. When asked if she entirely forgave the erring boy, she replied, “ How could a mother do anything but forgive? But I know, more over, that God will forgive bim.” And then, in response to an enquiry as to the ground of her confidence, she said, “Ah, sin, one to whom so many tearful prayers cleave, will never be suffered to perish.” What a »oui-tranquilbring assurance! Pe titions, for Christ’s sake, iu behalf of the wandering, go up as delightful incense to the throne of God. There is power in the soul wrestling of a Christian relative. Let saved hearts bind their dear ones round about with believing, tearful, importunate prayers. Send them up with strong confidence, based upon the Divine promises. “ The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”